Monday, January 29, 2007

There are approximately fifteen or twenty bands that represent the new highbrow upper crust in contemporary rock 'n roll--all of which are indie rock bands that seem to have formed right around the time that Garden State came out.

Deerhoof, early indie stalwarts that formed in 1994, mix a cutesy, poppy electronic sound with chaotic noise. This sound was popularized across college campuses in the nineties when "art punk" became a term. Which is why Deerhoof can sound like a slightly more cohesive Melt Banana.

The one thing Deerhoof has going for them is their ability to occasionally rock really hard. Unfortunately they do this much less on "Friend Opportunity." To their credit, they are on Kill Rock Stars, which is one of the best labels around today. However, the album becomes tedious and it may best be suited for background music.

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